Deserving of Preserving: The Jefferson Highway Road Trip
Robin Cole-Jett- 27 minutes ago
- 17 min read
I travel the Jefferson Highway frequently, but not for work. I don't even live directly by it. I'm just always happy to find remnants of it, because actually, the Jefferson Highway is no more.
Designated a named route that could take tourists from "Pine to Palm" in the 1910s, the highway ran from Winnipeg, Canada to New Orleans, Louisiana (or vice versa). Its north/south axis intersected the east/west direction of the famous named Lincoln Highway in Kansas. But whereas the Lincoln Highway still exists as US Highway 50 and can be traversed for most of its entirety, the Jefferson Highway did not fare as well when the modern highways replaced the original ones: it didn't win its own number when federal highways were designated in 1926. For example, when crossing into the Red River Valley of the South, the Jefferson Highway is US 69, but then becomes US 80 before it becomes US 71, US 61 and US 90 as it winds its way through Louisiana.
Louisiana can claim the most frontage of the Jefferson Highway than any other state in the Red River Valley, too. But wait, there's more -- because when the Jefferson Highway enters Canada on its way to Winnipeg, it parallels the Red River of the North. Coincidence or fate?
Luckily, I'm not the only one who finds that the old Jefferson Highway road trip is a treasure deserving of preserving. There's an entire non-profit organization devoted to designate the route, and members partake in annual conferences and share their excursions together.
Pursuing the Jefferson Highway through the Red River Valley makes for a really great vacation. By referencing historic Rand McNally Auto Trails Atlas from 1924 and the Automobile Blue Book from 1920, following is a long itinerary of how to enjoy a historic road trip along the Jefferson Highway in the Red River Valley.
Oklahoma: Starting in McAlester and heading south
We'll begin in McAlester, where the old Jefferson Highway shares its alignment with the King of Trails Highway. In downtown McAlester, the Jefferson Highway is Main Street. South of McAlester, take Old Highway 69 at the Chambers turn off (west). When you turn onto Chambers Road, you'll immediately turn left onto Old Highway 69 -- in other words, you'll follow the railroad tracks southward, not cross them.
Old Highway 69/ Jefferson Highway will pass through Savannah. Thereafter, you'll have to drive on the new US 69 until just north of Kiowa, where you'll turn onto North Harrison Street -- the former Jefferson Highway/Old Highway 69, parallel to the railroad tracks. Those tracks, now used by the Union Pacific Railroad, comprise the first ROW in Oklahoma's history: they were originally built the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railway, aka the KATY or MKT.
Keep on Old Highway 69 past the power plant, but then return to the new US 69 to travel past Limestone Gap. Unfortunately, you can't access the former towns of Gap and Chockie at Limestone Gap anymore; for some reason, the roads have been fenced off (public land theft is still ongoing in the Red River Valley, just FYI).
The new US 69 takes you through Stringtown, but I always caution people to be careful here. Traffic goes much too fast for this old road that has no breakdown lane and lots of turn-offs. The original Jefferson Highway is Mitchell Road, which you can follow most of the way to Atoka. To get to Mitchell Road, turn left (east) onto Bend Street, then immediately left and follow the railroad tracks southward. Bend Street turns into Mitchell Road. Make sure to keep right and follow the tracks. When Mitchell Road brings you back to the railroad crossing next to an unimproved road, you'll want to take the new US 69, as the old Jefferson Highway gets lost over here and has actually become a right-of-way for power lines. The Jefferson Highway was actually Ohio Avenue in downtown Atoka, where an iron truss bridge once spanned Muddy Boggy Creek. Back then, you'd cross the bridge, turn right onto Court Street and then left onto Mississippi Avenue. Today, Mississippi Avenue is the new highway US 69.
Past Tushka, the original Jefferson Highway was the former MKT railroad grade before new tracks were built. The first left (southeast) turn about a mile past the Boggy Depot turn-off is the Jefferson Highway. Along this historic route, you'll pass beneath concrete bridges that carry the MKT tracks, over the beautiful truss bridges at Clear Boggy Creek, and go through Caddo, which sports a Jefferson Highway mural (but no nod to the King of Trails, yet). Locals have painted the poles in the highway's iconic blue/white colors to commemorate the historic highway.
At Armstrong, the King of Trails/Jefferson Highway crosses over the beautiful Blue River. Then, you'll enter Durant. Turn due south onto OK 78/First Avenue, which is where the Jefferson Highway and King of Trails now meet the Gulf Highway. Turn left (west) on Main Street and then left (south) on 9th Street. South of Durant, 9th Street veers onto the modern US 69/US 75.
South of Durant is Calera, a railroad town that has been truly devastated by the widening and modernizing of the current US 75/US 69. The original highway alignments are now the service road, so take it because you'll then turn westward onto Smiser Road. Drive on Smiser Road several miles to Leavenworth Trail, named after the Dodge-Leavenworth expedition that was launched in 1834 from Fort Gibson to the Wichita Mountains in southwestern Indian Territory to broker peace with the Comanches. Famed artist George Catlin was part of this group, which met with a fever outbreak that eventually killed 150 people, including General Henry Leavenworth, who died along this road in the Cross Timbers.
Leavenworth Trail aka the King of Trails/Jefferson/Gulf Highway will bring you to Colbert, a historic ferry and stage coach port on the Red River. The original roadway led to a toll bridge that in 1875 was the first bridge to cross the Red River in Indian Territory. A flood washed it away, killing a young boy in the process. The bridge was not rebuilt until increased automobile traffic necessitated the erection of a steel truss bridge in the 1920s. The route to the toll bridge is Leavenworth Trail/Franklin Street/River Road.
Unfortunately, the toll bridge was dynamited after the short but intense "Red River Bridge War." Although remnants of the toll bridge still stand in the Red River, it's no longer passable, and travelers must take the current US 75 highway bridge across the Red River. It stands just below the dam for Lake Texoma.
Texas: Denison to Greenville
Once in Texas, exit US 75 to follow US 69 into Denison. This is also the King of Trails route, at least for a few early miles: turn onto Houston Street and then, turn left (west) onto Main Street in downtown Denison. US 69 aka the Jefferson Highway continues straight on Crawford/Crockett/Texas streets (and past President Dwight Eisenhower's birthplace). Now you can choose to meet up with US 69 on the south side of Denison or go the 1920 to 1940 route. Guess what we're doing?
Turn left (east) onto Texas Street to follow the original Jefferson Highway. You'll follow FM 1753 road to Ambrose, then take FM 1897 southward into Bells, then TX 56 eastward through Savoy and Ector to Bonham. In Bonham, take Old Ector Road where it meets with TX 56 and TX 121. This is the original road into town from the west. You'll then turn right (east) on TX 56/Sam Rayburn Drive again. Turn left (south) on US 78, then turn left (southeast) onto FM 271 to keep following the Jefferson Highway. You'll pass Gober and reach Wolfe City on FM 34, which you can follow all the way into Greenville.
Texas: Greenville to Gladewater
Greenville is now a town along Interstate 30. It is also a town on the historic Bankhead Highway (US 67). The Jefferson Highway mirrors the Bankhead here. To follow these old highways, take Lee Street eastward from downtown Greenville and turn onto the frontage road of the interstate. Head eastward and then pick up TX 24 north to Campbell. In Campbell, turn east onto Main Street and travel to Sulphur Springs through Cumby's Main Street, the interstate's frontage road, and US 67 in Brashear. In Sulphur Springs, follow Business US 67 through town, and keep doing that through Saltillo and Mount Vernon.
East of Mount Vernon is Winfield. Once you get to there, take Cleveland Street right (south) through town, then turn left (east) onto the east-bound interstate frontage road; this is the original Jefferson Highway and Bankhead Highway alignment, now known as the Old Winfield Road. Follow it to Mount Pleasant, where it becomes First Street, which you will take all the way into downtown, and then turn right (south) onto Jefferson Avenue aka BUS US 271. This is now a modern highway, but there are remnants of the older alignment of the Jefferson Highway that parallel the road. When you get to Pittsburg, veer onto Mount Pleasant Street. In downtown Pittsburg, you'll encounter Jefferson Street, but don't take it... it's not an original alignment. Instead, you'll take Rusk Street to meet up with US 271 again south of downtown.
You'll travel through Bettie, Gilmer, and Union Grove as you reach Gladewater. In Gilmer, the original Jefferson Highway alignment is Titus Street. At the courthouse, turn right (east( on Marshall Street to meet up with US 271 again. Between Gilmer and Union Grove is Willet Road, an original alignment of the Jefferson Highway. In Union Grove, the Jefferson Highway is Union Grove Road. Once in Gladewater, you're going to turn right (east) onto US 80, aka the Dixie Overland Highway as well as the Jefferson Highway.
Texas: Gladewater to Waskom
Along this stretch of the Jefferson Highway, you can safely stay on US 80 as you head eastward into Louisiana so you don't miss any part of the old Jefferson Highway. Remember, though, that the original alignments went through downtown.
In Gladewater, the Jefferson Highway is Pacific Avenue, then either Center Street (north) or Broadway Avenue. After returning on US 80, you can take Armstrong Street eastward, which is the original alignment and also called "Old US 80" and "Old Longview Highway." Pelphrey Street is also the old highway.
In White Oak (don't blink or you'll miss it) you can travel "Old Highway 80" eastward through town.
Once in Longview, you'll have to jog a bit as the current US 80 aka Marshall Avenue runs north of the downtown. To recreate the old route, take Tyler Street left (southeast) through downtown and then 1st Street north, then turn right (east) onto Magrill Street, then follow Whaley Street east to US 259 and go north to the next intersection at US 80, where you'll turn right (eastward). After those turns, you'll need some smooth sailing for a bit. Luckily, the next town is Hallsville, where US 80 is also the original alignment along its Main Street.
For a real adventure in time travel, take Sabine Lumber/Stephens Road north to get to "Old US 80." If you turn right (west) on "Old US 80," you can follow the original pavement to a gate -- the old bridge is out and completely overgrown -- and then circle back (you'll have a tight turn-around, so don't go with a trailer or RV!) and head back eastward on "Old US 80" until it meets up again with the new US 80.
In Marshall, the Jefferson Highway will be on Longview Road aka FM 3379. This becomes Houston Street that will take you to the town's very pretty courthouse square. Move south around it to pick up Houston Street again, and follow it back to the new US 80. Go east and then, on the Interstate 20 frontage road, turn left (north) onto Bellview Road, which is unpaved for a portion. This will take you eastward into Jonesville. There, pick up FM 134 and follow it eastward, then southward, to Waskom Avenue. Go across the railroad tracks and into town. Then, go across the railroad tracks again and turn right (east) onto Jefferson Avenue -- guess what? You're on the Jefferson Highway! But then, at the Texas and Louisiana border along State Line Road, you'll want to turn around to back into Waskom and take Waskom Avenue to Texas Avenue, the current US 80. This will take you eastward to Louisiana!
Louisiana: Greenwood to Shreveport to Mansfield
Follow the new US 80 through Greenwood, keep left to follow US 80/ US 79 into Shreveport. This is also named, appropriately, Greenwood Avenue. At the intersection with Mansfield Road, turn south to follow the Jefferson Highway. Unfortunately, you won't need to drive through downtown Shreveport. But, if you're interested, you can take the Dixie Overland Trail through it.
Mansfield road parallels the WHAT railroad line. It is also US 17 that becomes a four lane road at the Hearne Avenue split. Keep going southward towards Keithville, where you will veer to the right (southeast) to follow the Old Mansfield Road and miss downtown Keithville (however sparse it is) completely; the town, such as it is, is built around the modern US 171. However, the unpaved portion of Old Mansfield Road will lead to a dead-end as the street has become someone's private property. Either turn around or take Mt Bethel Chruch Road to the US 171 to get back to the thoroughfare. Keep south over Keatchie Bayou and then, veer right (southeast) to follow Old Jefferson Road through Stonewall. At the intersection with Stonewall-Frierson Road, turn right and then left to stay on Jefferson until you meet up with US 171 again. You'll pass Kickapoo -- but wait!
Kickapoo sits between Gloster and Keachi. Both of these towns wanted the Jefferson Highway. Keatchi, an old Louisiana town along the railroad line, instead runs to Logansport on LA 5, which is an old stagecoach route. Interestingly, the Jefferson Highway supposedly follows the "Railroad" according to the Automobile Blue Book from 1920. However, according to the 1924 Rand McNally Auto Trails Atlas, it passed through Gloster. Today, Gloster is not even on the new US 171, but if you want to see an original Jefferson Highway town, you'll want to take LA 5 to Gloster's Old Main Street.
Go back to US 171 and head through Grand Cane, where the Jefferson Highway is its Main Street. Then keep on until Mansfield, where you'll jog quite a bit to see the old alignments. Just north of Mansfield, turn left (east) onto Oak Street, then right (south) to Washington Avenue/ BUS US 84 in downtown Mansfield. Jefferson Street is just a block over to the east, which is the original highway but it doesn't lead anywhere once you cross the railroad tracks. So, from Jefferson Street, turn left onto Gibbs Street (go past Polk) and then, past the railroad tracks, jog onto the Old Jefferson Highway which will then lead you to LA 175. Yes, it's confusing! The road is an old stagecoach route and that also leads to the civil war battle site.
Louisiana: Mansfield to Alexandria
Keep south on LA 175 past Pleasant Hill and then, in Belmont, turn left (east) onto LA 120 to get to Marthaville where the Jefferson Highway is Main Street. Keep going south on LA 120 through Shamrock and then, you'll meet the end of the road at Robeline. Turn left onto Texas Street/ LA 6/ Natchitoches Highway and head east towards Natchitoches. This road also parallels El Camino de Real, or Royal Road, that the Spanish colonists blazed from Nacogdoches to Natchitoches (and which leads into Mexico). Just before you get to Interstate 49, you can jog left for a short way onto "Old Highway 6" to follow the older road before returning to LA 6.
Once in Natchitoches, drive past the intersection with LA 1 and turn a quick left onto Old Robeline Road. Turn left onto Howell, then turn right onto Amulet Street and then, turn left (north) onto Jefferson Street, the old Jefferson Highway. Follow it along Cane River and through the historic river front northward. This road becomes LA 6 again, where you'll drive northward across the Red River at Grand Ecore. But before crossing the bridge, turn right onto Parish Road 422 to experience the original pavement and alignment of the Jefferson Highway. You'll have to back-track to return to LA 6.
Grand Ecore is a very historic area: it was once a settlement and steam boat port that witnessed a heated battle during the Civil War, and later, it was the site of a heated battle between Grand Ecore and Coushatta about which bridge over the Red River was going to see the Jefferson Highway come through. As you can guess, Grand Ecore won! The Grand Ecore Visitor Center, just to the west of the highway, offers vistas and very interesting history of the area.
On LA 6, you'll cross the Red River and bend eastwards towards Clarence. You'll be able to see the original pavement from the Jefferson Highway that once led to a ferry, then bridge at Grand Ecore before the new highway and bridge were built. Right before entering Clarence, turn left onto LA 1225/ Jefferson Road and follow it southward. You'll meet up with US 71 just north of St. Maurice. As you parallel the railroad tracks, drive US 71 south through Kadesh (in 1920, it was called "Kadesh Flag Station" for the railroad). South of Kadesh, veer right (southwest) and cross the railroad tracks to drive onto the Jefferson Highway. Once in Montgomery, this is Bienville Street. The town has changed its layout over the years, so you'll have to bend some more: Turn right (southwest) onto Caddo Street, then left (southwest) onto Woodland Street to meet up with the Jefferson Highway. Bear right and follow it along the tracks until you meet up with US 71 again. Turn right to head southward.
You'll pass through Aloha, another flag station, and then turn right (south) onto LA 157. This road will take you several miles away from US 71 and into Colfax. After crossing the railroad tracks, you'll be on the town's 8th Street that parallels the tracks. Turn right onto LA 8/ Alexandria-Colfax Highway/Main Street, then turn left to stay on LA 8. South of Colfax, you'll come to a left turn for an unimproved road called "Old Jefferson Highway." This street goes no where, though. Instead, you'll keep going south on LA 8 until LA 492, where you'll turn left to meet up again with US 71. Stay on this road as you head south into Pineville (don't take US 167). You'll turn left onto Jefferson Highway just before the Red River crossing. Follow it to stay southwest on Military Highway/BUS US 165. This road will take you onto the draw bridge across the Red River and into Alexandria.
But wait!
According to the Rand McNally Auto Trails Atlas of 1924, the Jefferson Highway crossed the Red River at Colfax -- but there isn't a bridge there! The new route, which according to the atlas was a paved road unlike the highway to Clarence (described in the 1920 Automobile Blue Book), took travelers south to Boyce. What happened to the bridge?
In 1928, the Grant Parish Enterprise pontificated that "we've got gas and oil, what we need is development and a traffic bridge across the Red River at Colfax." In 1929, the police jury of Grant Parish called for bids "for the construction of a bridge approximately 150 feet long with a short steel channel span and earth approaches on the Bayou Darrow near its entrance into Red River." A bridge was completed in Grant Parish, but not at Colfax... it was at Boyce, and it had electric lights, and it appeared five years after the Auto Trails Map was published. Thus, after 1929, the Jefferson Highway ran along LA 8 and crossed at Boyce, then followed either Old Boyce Road to or LA 1 to Rapides and Alexandria.
Louisiana: Alexandria to Baton Rouge
In downtown Alexandria, continue on the Jefferson Highway by going south on 3rd Street, then turn left (southwest) onto Lee Street. Take Lee Street/US Bus 167 through Alexandria until you reach US 71, then turn left to go southward. Stay on US 71, then turn left on Gene Ball Drive to curve over to the Old Baton Rouge Highway. Eventually, you'll meet up again with US 71 and pass through Moreland, Chambers, and LeCompte. In LeCompte, turn right onto Elm Street and after the railroad tracks, turn left (south) onto Hardy Street/ Jefferson Highway, which will hug the infamous Bayou Boeuf (Solomon Northrup's location of brutal enslavement) and the railroad tracks as it leaves town. Follow the road to Meeker, home to a sugarcane mill. At the intersection with US 167, turn left to return to US 71, where you'll turn right (south).
US 71 will take you to Cheneyville. Towards the end of the town, veer left to take the old Jefferson Highway for a hot minute, then return to US 71. The road will keep you following Bayou Boeuf until you enter Bunkie. In 1920's Bunkie, the Jefferson Highway was SE Main Street, across the railroad tracks. Today, the highway is SW Main Street on the west side of the tracks. Continue driving southeast, parallel to the railroad tracks, past Morrow, Le Moyen, and Rosa.
Now you've got a decision to make. LA 10, a left-hand veer in Lebeau, is the original Jefferson Highway that goes through Palmetto and Danks and then, into Melville on the Atchafalaya River. However, Melville's where the highway ends today, because in 1920 (Automobile Blue Book) and in 1924 (Auto Trails Atlas), Melville had a ferry that carried travelers across the river. Guess what doesn't exist anymore?
So modern travelers who want to experience the Jefferson Highway of old will have to either continue on US 71 south of Lebeau, or take LA 105 from Melville southward alongside the river to cross it as Krotz Springs. You'll cross the Atchafalaya River on US 190. At Lottie, you can turn left (north) onto LA 81 and then, right (southeast) to pick up the original route, or you can just take US 190 straight east to Livonia, where you'll turn right (south) onto LA 77. In Valverde, veer left (south/southeast) onto LA 977 and pass through Maringouin (where LA 977 becomes LA 77 once again) and Rosedale. Then, and I hate to break to you, but you'll have to cross the Mississippi River on Interstate 10. Originally, you had to take a ferry to cross the mighty river. The ferry landing is now at the end of Court Street in Port Allen.
Baton Rouge to New Orleans
Here's an interesting bit of information: the Automobile Blue Book of 1920 led travelers from Baton Rouge to New Orleans on the west side of the Mississippi River. This meant that you'd have to go back on the ferry at Port Allen and take the "Mississippi River Scenic Highway" (now LA 1) through Plaquemine, Bayou Goula, Belle Grove, Paincourtville, Napoleonville, Labadieville, Thibodaux, and Des Allemandes. You'd take the ferry across the Mississippi River at Westwego (West-we-go!) and enter New Orleans along Charles Street.
But we're following the Jefferson Highway! By 1924, a new route took travelers southward to New Orleans on the east side of the Mississippi River, and this was designated the Jefferson Highway. From downtown Baton Rouge, take Government Street east to LA 73/ Jefferson Highway. You'll travel a long way, through Prairieville, Dutch Town, and Geismar. In Geismar, LA 73 ends at LA 75, so take LA 75 southward along the Mississippi River (you can't see the river because of the levee). At Darrow, LA 75 becomes LA 942 for some reason, so follow that through Burnside, where LA 942 becomes LA 44 for some reason, and go through Union to Lutcher to Gramercy. Main Street is the Jefferson Highway for both of these towns. At one point, LA 44 becomes LA 48 for some reason (but it's all still called River Road), and you'll pass Destrehan and St. Rose and Kenner. Then, you're in New Orleans, where the street signs indicate that LA 48 is the Jefferson Highway and luckily, you won't have to pay attention to random road numbers.
In New Orleans, the Jefferson Highway is also US 90. However, the Jefferson will veer off from there, so turn right (south) on Jefferson Avenue and then, turn left (east) onto St. Charles Street. Follow St. Charles Street all the way to its intersection with Common Street -- this is the end of the Jefferson Highway, as indicated by a granite marker!
Now you've gone 642 miles and, with bathroom breaks, you've driven for over 12 hours. WOW that's a mega road trip!
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